duranduranfandomcom-20200214-history
Ordinary World
"Ordinary World" is the 23rd single by Duran Duran, and the first single from The Wedding Album. It was released on 19 December 1992 in the United States and 26 January 1993 in the United Kingdom, reaching the top ten in both countries. About the song By the early 1990s, Duran Duran's once-Beatlesque popularity had faded. Their album Liberty had proved a commercial failure, its two singles failing to make a significant showing on British or American charts. It wasn't until Capitol leaked "Ordinary World" to a radio station in Florida in the autumn of 1992 that it looked like Duran Duran mania might yet hit again. The single proved so popular that Capitol had to push the US release date up, ultimately releasing it in December. In the UK, the original January release date stood. The song can also be credited with introducing Duran Duran to a new generation of fans. The keyboards and strings in the song were arranged and performed by Nick Rhodes and John Jones, using an AKAI S1000 & S900, Emulator III, and a Roland D-50. The song won an Ivor Novello Award in May 1994. Simon Le Bon would go on to sing the song with Luciano Pavarotti at a War Child benefit show. This performance was released on ''Pavarotti & Friends: Together for the Children of Bosnia''. It has been voted Best Duran Duran Song On Earth by fans. Music video The video was filmed by director Nick Egan at Huntington Gardens in Pasadena, California and features a woman and her husband posing for photographs after presumably getting married while the band attend the wedding or rather reception as guests. B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes To capitalise on the success of "Ordinary World" and the new Duran Duran fans it was finding, EMI used the single's release to lure these new fans to the band's back catalogue. This mini-''Decade'' was spread over the two CD singles released during the campaign. Other Mixes An acoustic version of the song was included on the band's next release, the "Come Undone" single. There were several other versions of "Ordinary World" released.Tom McClintock's Duran Duran discography (pdf) * The "Single Version" or "Single Mix" was a differently mixed and edited version, sent to radio stations, used for the promotional video, and available on the CD single release in certain countries outside the US. * The "Acoustic version" was more correctly the "Acoustic Mix" and was created using the studio guitar & vocal tracks and adding specially arranged live string orchestration. An alternative live acoustic performance was recorded at the May 15 "No Ordinary Tour" live performance at Tower Records in Hollywood, which was simulcast to Hard Rock Cafés around the world. This live version was found on a number of "Ordinary World" releases outside the UK, most notably the Canadian and American cassette single. It would eventually be released in the UK on the first CD single for "Come Undone". * The "AC edit" was featured on a US promo CD that came packaged with the Decade album. * A version recorded live on Simon Mayo's Radio 1 show would surface in 1995 as a B-side to "White Lines". * A 6:08 version, recorded at Sony Studios in New York City for Hard Rock Live, was included on a promotional 2-track CD in June 2000 by the band's new label Hollywood Records. Covers, samples, & media references The song has been covered by RED, Riverfenix, Something for Kate, Stereoblonde , Aurora, Kurt Nilsen, Circa Survive, and Mandy Kane. The song appeared in the soundtrack to the film Layer Cake in 2004, and was noted for its use in the memorable attack scene in the restaurant. The song has been covered and appeared in the e3 2017 trailer of "The Evil Within 2" during Bethesda's Press Conference. Chart positions "Ordinary World" peaked at #3 in the US and held at #6 in the UK. Track listing 7": Parlophone DD 16 (UK) #"Ordinary World" (Single Version) - 4:43 #"My Antarctica" - 5:00 CD: Parlophone CD DDS 16 (UK) #"Ordinary World" - 5:49 #"Save A Prayer" (Single Version) - 5:25 #"Skin Trade" (Radio Cut) - 4:25 #"My Antarctica" - 5:00 *This CD came in a 2-CD case that also housed CD DDP 16. CD: Parlophone CD DDP 16 (UK) #"Ordinary World" (Single Version) - 4:41 #"The Reflex" (Dance Mix-Edit) - 4:25 #"Hungry Like the Wolf" (130 B.P.M. Single Version) - 3:25 #"Girls on Film" - 3:30 *This CD was released as a picture disc. CD: Part of the "Singles Box Set 1986-1995" #"Ordinary World" (Single Version) - 4:41 #"My Antarctica" - 5:00 #"Ordinary World" - 5:49 #"Save A Prayer" (Single Version) - 5:25 #"Skin Trade" (Radio Cut) - 4:25 #"The Reflex" (Dance Mix-Edit) - 4:25 #"Hungry Like the Wolf" (130 B.P.M. Single Version) - 3:25 #"Girls on Film" - 3:30 Other appearances Apart from the single, "Ordinary World" has also appeared on: Albums: *''The Wedding Album'' (1993) *''Greatest'' (1998) *''Layer Cake'' (2004) Box sets: *"Singles Box Set 1986-1995" (2005) Singles: *"Come Undone" (1993) *"White Lines" (1995) EPs: *''From Mediterranea With Love'' (2010) Personnel Duran Duran are: *Simon Le Bon - vocals *John Taylor - bass guitar *Warren Cuccurullo - guitar *Nick Rhodes - keyboards With: *John Jones - keyboards *Steve Ferrone - drums Lyrics Came in from a rainy Thursday On the avenue Thought I heard you talking softly I turned on the lights, the TV And the radio Still I can't escape the ghost of you What has happened to it all? Crazy, some are saying Where is the life that I recognize? Gone away But I won't cry for yesterday There's an ordinary world Somehow I have to find And as I try to make my way To the ordinary world I will learn to survive Passion or coincidence Once prompted you to say "Pride will tear us both apart" Well now pride's gone out the window Cross the rooftops Run away Left me in the vacuum of my heart What is happening to me? Crazy, some'd say Where is my friend when I need you most? Gone away But I won't cry for yesterday There's an ordinary world Somehow I have to find And as I try to make my way To the ordinary world I will learn to survive Papers in the roadside Tell of suffering and greed Here today, forgot tomorrow Ooh, here besides the news Of holy war and holy need Ours is just a little sorrowed talk And I don't cry for yesterday There's an ordinary world Somehow I have to find And as I try to make my way To the ordinary world I will learn to survive Every one Is my world, I will learn to survive Any one Is my world, I will learn to survive Any one Is my world Every one Is my world See also *Discography 4: Ordinary World *Duran Duran: Discography *Duran Duran: Song List References Category:Duran Duran singles Category:Duran Duran songs Category:The Wedding Album singles